Mad dog untied hands
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, known in military and political circles under the nickname Crazy Dog, is very pleased with the new decision of Donald Trump. The President of the United States allowed the Pentagon to determine how many troops should be sent to Afghanistan. “It just gives us a free hand,” said pleased Mattis.
Trump gave the Pentagon complete power over the number of troops in Afghanistan, says a New York correspondent for the British newspaper «The Independent» Emily Shugerman.
The journalist hints at the emotionality of Trump's next decision. The fact is that the day before, Defense Minister James Mattis told the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the United States had "not won" the war in Afghanistan. And after only a few hours, Donald Trump gave the Pentagon full authority to determine the size of the military contingent in Afghanistan.
Mattis immediately boasted to the Senate subcommittee on defense that the president delegated to him full power over the number of troops - just as he had resolved this in relation to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
“Last year, the Taliban [banned in the Russian Federation] had a good year, and this year they are trying to achieve new successes,” the minister said. I think the enemy is rising right now. ”
Many experts in the United States decided that the head of the Pentagon gave a clear hint: he intends to send more soldiers to Afghanistan. At the beginning of this year, General John Nicholson, the commander-in-chief in Afghanistan, said that he needed “several thousand” more soldiers to fight “IG” (forbidden in the Russian Federation), the Taliban and other groups.
However, Mr. Mattis is not torn to fight. Trump's decision "by itself does not increase strength in Afghanistan." “Rather, it ensures that the Department of Defense can facilitate the execution of its operations and respond promptly to security situations, which will give our troops greater freedom in providing other vital air support,” said Mattis.
The American contingent was limited under Obama to about 8.400 people. This is a significant reduction if you compare the number with 100.000 soldiers in 2011 year.
Some Pentagon people complained that the management of the military contingent under Obama prevented them from responding to events fairly quickly. The actual number of troops in Afghanistan has also become quite difficult to determine: in other cases, the military hired private contractors or hired "temporary forces" for operations in order to avoid oversizing the numbers established by Mr. Obama.
Critics of Trump's plans believe, however, that the president is demonstrating an obvious "condescension" towards the military. Being a private citizen, Mr. Trump spoke out against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, having become president, Trump delegates more and more decisions to the military. They are the ones who make strategic decisions, the article notes.
"Former businessman" in April, very quickly agreed to strike from the air on Syria, and then transferred control over the number of troops in Syria and Iraq to the Pentagon.
Ned Price, the senior director of the National Security Council under President Obama, said on this occasion that the decision on the deployment of troops should be made in conjunction with political and economic advisers, and not only with military officials. Failure to build consensus here could damage strategic objectives, Price said to The Independent.
As for Mattis, he told the Armed Services Committee that he hopes to inform the senators about the new plans by mid-July.
Such vigorous statements, we note, did not appear from scratch: the Pentagon has been interpreting new plans since April 2017, despite the “pacifist” election promises of Mr. Trump, who spoke of the need to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan.
In April, the Americans dropped the most powerful bombs on the positions of militants "IG" (prohibited in Russia) in the Afghan province of Nangarhar. We are talking about the bomb GBU-43B mass 9,5 t, "the mother of all bombs." Donald Trump called the use of a super-power bomb in Afghanistan a "successful operation," and the US Army "stunning."
“We have tremendous commanders in the army and a terrific army. We are very proud of them. This was another very, very successful operation, "- quoted his TV channel "NTV".
In May, the media reported on the Pentagon’s plan for a new strategy in Afghanistan. It turns out that the Pentagon considers it necessary to send additional military forces to Afghanistan to defeat the local militants of the IG, as well as to contain the advancing Taliban.
The most interesting thing is that the United States in its desire to continue the war in Afghanistan is not alone, as it might seem at first glance.
9 May James "The Mad Dog" Mattis visited Copenhagen. In the Danish capital, the Pentagon’s head was waited by fourteen heads of military departments of countries fighting against the IG. Mattis spoke primarily about Afghanistan. "In Afghanistan, we are faced with a serious and stubborn opponent," she quoted. "Lenta.ru". - Nevertheless, the Islamic State has already lost two thirds of its fighters there, and last weekend President Ghani announced the death of Emir of Khorasan, the leader of the militants of the IG in Nangarhar province. We struck IG with another serious blow, depriving them of one of the leaders. ”
Then the Danish counterpart of the American Minister K. Frederiksen “made a small sensation”, declaring that Denmark, if necessary, would send additional forces to Afghanistan.
In terms of the Pentagon, we are talking about the conduct of hostilities in Afghanistan. The essence of the document is known: to send additional forces into the country to act both against the "IS" and against the Taliban. Probably should talk about an additional five thousand American troops.
Gennady Petrov believes that the United States is "imperceptibly" drawn into "a new armed conflict, fraught with confrontation with Russia." Donald Trump, as an analyst notes in "Expert Online", gave the Pentagon the right to independently determine the number of troops in Afghanistan, and therefore, in the near future, the limited US contingent in this country is likely to increase.
If, under Obama, it was not that the increase in the number of US military personnel, and even a simple replenishment of the existing structure required coordination with the president, then now all the relevant decisions will be made by a “simple stroke of the pen” by one minister of defense. The analyst concludes: “This means that for the Americans, if not victorious, then at least not the shameful conclusion of the Afghan war announced by Obama is canceled. The war with the inevitable consequence in the form of the coffins of the US military will begin a new one. ”
According to Petrov, the fact that the Afghan center of instability is about to flare near the former Soviet border is sad for Russia, and the Russians may again find themselves "on opposite sides of the barricades with the Americans", because the US is accusing Russia of supporting the Taliban. Mr. Mattis, for example, stated in April that Moscow was supplying weapon taliban
A little more, we add, and Washington will blame the Russians for the war on the side of the Taliban. Politicians and experts talk about Moscow’s support for the Taliban throughout 2017. The recently mentioned General John Nicholson, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, said publicly that Moscow had violated international law by supplying weapons to the Taliban militants. The fact that the Russians supplied the Taliban with weapons was, in general, "there is no doubt." Moscow supplied the Taliban machine guns and other weapons. Intelligence believes these weapons were used to attack the Afghan security forces in the southern provinces, the British newspaper quoted the general "The Telegraph" (Great Britain). Nicholson performed in Kabul with James Mattis, who does not hide the fact that the United States must confront Russia in Afghanistan - in the country where the 1980-s lost the war of the USSR.
German newspaper «Süddeutsche Zeitung» quoted another military order, General Curtis Scaparrotti, commander-in-chief of the combined forces of NATO in Europe. At the hearings in the US Congress, he announced the "increased influence" of Russia and the "possible" supplies to the Taliban.
However, these statements were almost refuted later by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. On May 24, the NATO boss reported that the North Atlantic Alliance does not have information confirming the links between the authorities of Russia and the Taliban. “We saw the messages, but did not see definitive evidence of Russia's direct support for the Taliban,” Mr. Stoltenberg quoted. Kommersant.
Another thing, we add that Mr. Trump decided to keep Washington’s influence in Afghanistan: the country should not be left unattended by Uncle Sam. In addition, the buildup of military forces in Afghanistan needs the US military-industrial complex: Mr. Trump, following the example of Reagan, conceived of reviving the home economy through the rise of the military machine. Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, Russia - Mr. Trump has enemies everywhere. With such military appetites and with such a love for big bombs, it would not be possible for Mr. Trump to become a man who unleashes a nuclear war on the planet.
Trump gave the Pentagon complete power over the number of troops in Afghanistan, says a New York correspondent for the British newspaper «The Independent» Emily Shugerman.
The journalist hints at the emotionality of Trump's next decision. The fact is that the day before, Defense Minister James Mattis told the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the United States had "not won" the war in Afghanistan. And after only a few hours, Donald Trump gave the Pentagon full authority to determine the size of the military contingent in Afghanistan.
Mattis immediately boasted to the Senate subcommittee on defense that the president delegated to him full power over the number of troops - just as he had resolved this in relation to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
“Last year, the Taliban [banned in the Russian Federation] had a good year, and this year they are trying to achieve new successes,” the minister said. I think the enemy is rising right now. ”
Many experts in the United States decided that the head of the Pentagon gave a clear hint: he intends to send more soldiers to Afghanistan. At the beginning of this year, General John Nicholson, the commander-in-chief in Afghanistan, said that he needed “several thousand” more soldiers to fight “IG” (forbidden in the Russian Federation), the Taliban and other groups.
However, Mr. Mattis is not torn to fight. Trump's decision "by itself does not increase strength in Afghanistan." “Rather, it ensures that the Department of Defense can facilitate the execution of its operations and respond promptly to security situations, which will give our troops greater freedom in providing other vital air support,” said Mattis.
The American contingent was limited under Obama to about 8.400 people. This is a significant reduction if you compare the number with 100.000 soldiers in 2011 year.
Some Pentagon people complained that the management of the military contingent under Obama prevented them from responding to events fairly quickly. The actual number of troops in Afghanistan has also become quite difficult to determine: in other cases, the military hired private contractors or hired "temporary forces" for operations in order to avoid oversizing the numbers established by Mr. Obama.
Critics of Trump's plans believe, however, that the president is demonstrating an obvious "condescension" towards the military. Being a private citizen, Mr. Trump spoke out against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, having become president, Trump delegates more and more decisions to the military. They are the ones who make strategic decisions, the article notes.
"Former businessman" in April, very quickly agreed to strike from the air on Syria, and then transferred control over the number of troops in Syria and Iraq to the Pentagon.
Ned Price, the senior director of the National Security Council under President Obama, said on this occasion that the decision on the deployment of troops should be made in conjunction with political and economic advisers, and not only with military officials. Failure to build consensus here could damage strategic objectives, Price said to The Independent.
As for Mattis, he told the Armed Services Committee that he hopes to inform the senators about the new plans by mid-July.
Such vigorous statements, we note, did not appear from scratch: the Pentagon has been interpreting new plans since April 2017, despite the “pacifist” election promises of Mr. Trump, who spoke of the need to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan.
In April, the Americans dropped the most powerful bombs on the positions of militants "IG" (prohibited in Russia) in the Afghan province of Nangarhar. We are talking about the bomb GBU-43B mass 9,5 t, "the mother of all bombs." Donald Trump called the use of a super-power bomb in Afghanistan a "successful operation," and the US Army "stunning."
“We have tremendous commanders in the army and a terrific army. We are very proud of them. This was another very, very successful operation, "- quoted his TV channel "NTV".
In May, the media reported on the Pentagon’s plan for a new strategy in Afghanistan. It turns out that the Pentagon considers it necessary to send additional military forces to Afghanistan to defeat the local militants of the IG, as well as to contain the advancing Taliban.
The most interesting thing is that the United States in its desire to continue the war in Afghanistan is not alone, as it might seem at first glance.
9 May James "The Mad Dog" Mattis visited Copenhagen. In the Danish capital, the Pentagon’s head was waited by fourteen heads of military departments of countries fighting against the IG. Mattis spoke primarily about Afghanistan. "In Afghanistan, we are faced with a serious and stubborn opponent," she quoted. "Lenta.ru". - Nevertheless, the Islamic State has already lost two thirds of its fighters there, and last weekend President Ghani announced the death of Emir of Khorasan, the leader of the militants of the IG in Nangarhar province. We struck IG with another serious blow, depriving them of one of the leaders. ”
Then the Danish counterpart of the American Minister K. Frederiksen “made a small sensation”, declaring that Denmark, if necessary, would send additional forces to Afghanistan.
In terms of the Pentagon, we are talking about the conduct of hostilities in Afghanistan. The essence of the document is known: to send additional forces into the country to act both against the "IS" and against the Taliban. Probably should talk about an additional five thousand American troops.
Gennady Petrov believes that the United States is "imperceptibly" drawn into "a new armed conflict, fraught with confrontation with Russia." Donald Trump, as an analyst notes in "Expert Online", gave the Pentagon the right to independently determine the number of troops in Afghanistan, and therefore, in the near future, the limited US contingent in this country is likely to increase.
“The fact that Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and not the White House, will decide whether or not to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan, Reuters reported. It referred to an anonymous source in the US government. The White House declined to comment on this information, so we can assume: the agency told the truth, which Trump does not want to shock public opinion. It is understandable. The President acts within his authority, but in complete contradiction with the policies of his predecessor. The contingent in Afghanistan under Barack Obama has consistently declined. "
If, under Obama, it was not that the increase in the number of US military personnel, and even a simple replenishment of the existing structure required coordination with the president, then now all the relevant decisions will be made by a “simple stroke of the pen” by one minister of defense. The analyst concludes: “This means that for the Americans, if not victorious, then at least not the shameful conclusion of the Afghan war announced by Obama is canceled. The war with the inevitable consequence in the form of the coffins of the US military will begin a new one. ”
According to Petrov, the fact that the Afghan center of instability is about to flare near the former Soviet border is sad for Russia, and the Russians may again find themselves "on opposite sides of the barricades with the Americans", because the US is accusing Russia of supporting the Taliban. Mr. Mattis, for example, stated in April that Moscow was supplying weapon taliban
A little more, we add, and Washington will blame the Russians for the war on the side of the Taliban. Politicians and experts talk about Moscow’s support for the Taliban throughout 2017. The recently mentioned General John Nicholson, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, said publicly that Moscow had violated international law by supplying weapons to the Taliban militants. The fact that the Russians supplied the Taliban with weapons was, in general, "there is no doubt." Moscow supplied the Taliban machine guns and other weapons. Intelligence believes these weapons were used to attack the Afghan security forces in the southern provinces, the British newspaper quoted the general "The Telegraph" (Great Britain). Nicholson performed in Kabul with James Mattis, who does not hide the fact that the United States must confront Russia in Afghanistan - in the country where the 1980-s lost the war of the USSR.
German newspaper «Süddeutsche Zeitung» quoted another military order, General Curtis Scaparrotti, commander-in-chief of the combined forces of NATO in Europe. At the hearings in the US Congress, he announced the "increased influence" of Russia and the "possible" supplies to the Taliban.
However, these statements were almost refuted later by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. On May 24, the NATO boss reported that the North Atlantic Alliance does not have information confirming the links between the authorities of Russia and the Taliban. “We saw the messages, but did not see definitive evidence of Russia's direct support for the Taliban,” Mr. Stoltenberg quoted. Kommersant.
Another thing, we add that Mr. Trump decided to keep Washington’s influence in Afghanistan: the country should not be left unattended by Uncle Sam. In addition, the buildup of military forces in Afghanistan needs the US military-industrial complex: Mr. Trump, following the example of Reagan, conceived of reviving the home economy through the rise of the military machine. Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, Russia - Mr. Trump has enemies everywhere. With such military appetites and with such a love for big bombs, it would not be possible for Mr. Trump to become a man who unleashes a nuclear war on the planet.
Observed and commented on Oleg Chuvakin
- especially for topwar.ru
- especially for topwar.ru
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